


Air, Earth and Skies

by derryderrydown



Category: DCU - Comicverse, Teen Titans
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-07
Updated: 2009-12-07
Packaged: 2017-10-04 05:51:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/derryderrydown/pseuds/derryderrydown





	Air, Earth and Skies

Bart had wanted to tell Tim about polymers. He'd been reading up on them and Tim would know enough to discuss them and that would be good. So Bart had waited on top of the Tower.

He'd waited until it was dark.

The next evening, Kon had joined him and, together, they'd waited until it wasn't dark.

The Batjet didn't show up.

"Must have got caught up on something in Gotham," Kon had said.

Bart had nodded and they hadn't looked at each other because the lie wouldn't have stood that.

They hadn't waited again.

And then, today, the Batjet showed up and Bart was on top of the Tower before he'd had a chance to think because he was going to yell at Tim so much for worrying them all sick like that and-

It wasn't Tim.

It was Robin but it wasn't Tim.

And Bart knew what that meant. He knew what Joker had done. He knew what could happen to Robins because they were just normal people and it was so easy for them to-

Robin was looking at him and he didn't _want_ to get to know her because then it would hurt all over again when she-

Bart stuttered in place for a moment because she looked angry and scared and it was natural to want to _help_ her but she wasn't Tim and-

He ran.

He didn't see where he was going but he managed to vibrate through anything in his path. He vaguely noticed changes in temperature, from searing heat to cold that froze his tears on his cheeks. It wasn't important.

The world wasn't big enough for him to run away from himself and he eventually found he was back at the Tower, in his own room. Kon was asleep on his bed, t-shirt rucked up and sneakers kicked untidily across the room.

Bart stared at him for a moment before pushing on his shoulder.

Kon lurched awake with a mumble. He sat upright and rubbed his eyes. "Wondered when you'd show up again. You freaked Steph."

Bart bit his lower lip. "The girl in the Batjet."

Kon pulled his t-shirt straight. "Yeah."

"How did Tim die? Did she say? Does she know?"

Kon shut his eyes and leaned back against the wall. "Tim's not dead."

"But - he said. He said he wouldn't stop until he wasn't needed. He's needed. We need him." And Bart didn't say 'I need him' but he knew Kon heard it anyway.

"He's quit. Steph said there were reasons. But."

Yeah. But. "He didn't tell us."

"Steph said there were reasons," Kon repeated blankly.

"I thought he was dead. He knew I'd think he was dead if he didn't show up because of the Robin before him and he still didn't tell us."

"I know."

"I thought. I thought we were friends. But he let-"

"I know."

"I don't like her. She's not Robin."

Kon shrugged. "She seems nice enough."

"But she's not Robin." Bart settled next to Kon on the bed and Kon was reassuringly big and _there_ so Bart leaned his head on Kon's shoulder. Kon's arm around his shoulders was safe. "Or. I don't know. Why didn't he let us know? He could have let us know."

Kon sighed. "She just says there were reasons."

Bart swallowed hard and wondered if he'd ever manage to let go of Kon because everybody kept _leaving_ him and he didn't know what he'd do if Kon left too.


End file.
